3 Questions with local Wexner Fellows Zachary Goldberger & Sass Orol!

Earlier this month, the Wexner Foundation announced its 33rd class of Wexner Graduate Fellowship/Davidson Scholars. Two community members, Zachary Goldberger and Sass Orol, were selected for this highly competitive, intensive program. Mazel tov!

Our Communications Coordinator, Rebecca Allen, sat down with Zach and Sass for a short interview to find out more about the fellowship and what they hope to get out of the program!

Rebecca Allen: Hello, Zach and Sass! Congratulations again on your accomplishment.

Zachary Goldberger: Thank you!

Sass Orol: Yes, thank you for reaching out to us.

Rebecca: Would you be able to tell our community more about this program and what it entails?

Zach: Sure! The Wexner Fellowship/Davidson Scholarship is awarded to individuals who are in a Jewish centered graduate program and plan to seek a Jewish professional role after graduation. Each fellow participates in four years of impactful learning and teaching from Jewish professionals of all expertise, background and affiliation.

Sass: Exactly! For the next four years, we will come together as fellows at seminars and conferences, and work with individual mentors while continuing our degree studies.

Zachary Goldberger (left) and Sass Orol (right)

Rebecca: Wow, that sounds really interesting! What do each of you hope to get out of being a part of this program, and what are your hopes for you and your community after completing the fellowship?

Sass: I am excited for the deep connection with peers intent on serving the Jewish community of North America. I hope that my peer fellows will become colleagues I can rely on for years to come, who can encourage and critique me, and who can be thought partners as we take on new challenges in Jewish communal work.

Zach: I hope to gain an extensive network with my cohort and learn from each of their past experiences and expertise in their fields of interest. I think the North American Jewish community is stronger when professionals are connected and able to instill innovations in their programming and education based on lessons learned from others. I am equally excited to learn from the Wexner professionals during our retreats and meetings through the years. I am eager to begin my journey as a fellow to grow as a person, student, Jew, and professional.

I hope I am able to take the skills and lessons learned from my time as a Wexner Fellow/Davidson Scholar to create inclusive spaces for Jews of all backgrounds. My passion is in camp and informal, experiential education. That said, I want to bring that camp "magic" we all know and love to communities outside of those campgrounds. We feel a part of something greater than ourselves at camp, and I want to foster that feeling and find a way to bring it home. The role of a Wexner Fellow and Davidson Scholar may end after my four years, but I hope to be a mentor and guide for others wanting to make an impact in Jewish communal work, just like my mentors and professors have done for me.

Rebecca: Speaking of camp, how has your Jewish community impacted you in getting to this point in your life?

Zach: I owe everything to the communities I have worked in and made a home for myself. From my time spent at Temple Beth Or and within the Raleigh Jewish community, to my six summers spent at URJ 6 Points Sports Academy, all of these communities pushed me to pursue a career as a Jewish professional and challenged me to be at my best. I am grateful for the diversity of Jewish life I found within these Jewish communities and I look forward to my continued learning through new experiences. 

Rebecca: Sass, how has your Jewish community impacted you?

Sass: The Raleigh Jewish community is directly responsible for my decision to become a rabbi. My most meaningful personal and professional Jewish experiences took place at Beth Meyer, Camp J, Carolina Jews for Justice, and other Triangle Jewish institutions.

Rebecca: That is great to hear. I’m so happy that our local Jewish organizations were able to have such a positive impact on both of you.

Sass: Yes. I’m so glad to get to represent the Raleigh Jewish community, which has truly given me the world.

Rebecca: Thank you both for your time, and congratulations again!

Zach: Thank you!

Sass: Thank you.

To learn more about Class 33 of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship/Davidson Scholars, click here.